The Body
by Sally97
Summary: Buffy's Mum just died and she calls the only person who can help her hold it together. Dean Winchester. (Pre SPN S1 Buffy S6 Ep The Body)
1. Prologue

**A/N: This fic is set Pre SPN Season1 and BTVS Season 5 Episode 16 (The Body)**

**A/N2: I don't really have a proper name for the fic so if anyone could come up with a good one for me that would be much appreciated :)**

**Prologue:**

"Dean... I need you." The choked sob that follows her whispered words stabs Dean right in the heart and he can practically see her trying to hold it together so that she can still breath.

"Buffy what happened?" He asks, the noise of the TV, in the motel room he is sharing with Sam, falling away and he tenses every muscle in his body waiting for the answer. Sam stops watching the TV, sits up on his bed, and stares at Dean intently, knowing that something is wrong. Dean closes his eyes, ready for the impact. Please not little Dawnie. Or Willow. Or Xander. Or Tara. Or Giles. Or…

"It's my mum. She's. She's dead." Joyce. Dean gets up from his spot, accidently knocking his duffle bag and knife off his bed in his hurry to move.

"I'll be there as quick as I can." He says closing his phone. "Sam, get your shit together." Dean says to his brother, as he starts stuffing his duffle bag with clothing and weaponry. Sam takes a moment to get up, but then he is racing round the small motel room with the same flurry of movement.

"Get in the car Sam, I'll be out in a sec." Dean says, tossing Sam the car keys. Sam hurries outside as Dean dials their Dad's phone number.

"This is John Winchester leave a message."

"Something has happened in Sunnydale, me and Sammy are heading over there. Joyce Summers died and we need to be there for Buffy. I don't give a damn what you are going to say about it." Dean hangs up the phone, knowing that his Dad is going to go mental at him when he gets the message. "Screw him." He says under his breath.

Dean storms out of the dingy roadside diner, headed straight for his baby. The late morning sun beats down on the black paint of the Impala and Dean jumps into the car. Sam is already sitting in the passenger seat, still not knowing what has happened, and looks over at Dean to see tears in his eyes.

"Who?" Sam asks quietly, his voice almost unheard over the roar of the engine starting.

"Joyce." Dean replies, rubbing the tears from his face and expelling the breath he has been holding since hearing Buffy's voice.

"We gotta get to Sunnydale." Sam says firmly. He closes his eyes for a moment, and a tear trickles down his cheek. He takes a shaky breath and opens his eyes to see that Dean hasn't moved yet.

"She was like a mother to us." Dean says, thumping the palm of his hand into the steering wheel and rubbing his forehead with his other hand. Sam bites his lip and tries to think of something to say to make Dean feel a tiny bit better, but comes up with nothing. Instead he puts his hand on Dean's shoulder and squeezes it. Dean gives Sam a weak smile in thanks and turns back to the front. Swallowing thickly and seating his jaw, Dean puts his music on and pulls out of the diner parking lot setting his course on Sunnydale.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Phone Calls**

**A/N: This fic follows the events of the episode "The Body" while the characters are off screen, you'll understand if you watch the episode than read this chapter, but once the episode finished I don't continue onto the next one. Just as a heads up.**

**Thanks everyone who has followed/faved/reviewed this story you guys are so awesome! Enjoy the first chapter and please leave a review whether or not you like the title cuz I don't really like the title but I can't come up with anything else. Thanks! :)**

Dean taps the steering wheel of the Impala as he drives towards the small town of Sunnydale. Sam sits next to him staring out of the passenger window. Neither of them has spoken since they got in the car that morning after the call from a distressed Buffy.

Suddenly Sam's phone goes off. He picks it up with a frown.

"Hello?" He asks.

"Sam, um Winchester?" Another voice asks.

"Yeah, this is his he."

"Hi, it's Tara."

"Hey Tara." Sam says; a twitch of a smile appears on his face in recognition.

"Hey. Um, I have some bad news. Is Dean with you?" Her sad voice comes through.

"Yeah, he's here." Sam replies.

"Um, I'm sorry to be the one that tells you this, but Buffy's mum died this morning. I wasn't sure if Buffy had called Dean or anything, so I just though I'd call."

"Buffy called earlier this morning. We are heading your way as we speak. How's everyone holding up?" Sam asks.

"Um." Tara lets out a sigh. "Well, Willow and Xander and Anya are in our dorm room. And they don't seem very, um, they are kinda torn up."

"What's happening with Buffy and Dawn?"

"We haven't heard from either of them. Giles was the one who called Willow, to tell her what happened, and she called Xander and Anya. Giles said he is going to the morgue and that Buffy is going to Dawn's school to pick her up." Tara says and Sam wishes he could give her a hug through the phone line. Her voice sounds so defeated.

"Tara, was it something... unnatural?" Sam asks.

"No, no. Giles said it wasn't Glory or a demon or something. He said that it, um, had to do with Joyce' tumor." Tara says softly.

"I thought the Doc said she was all clear?" Sam says, his voice rising slightly, and rage bubbling.

"Sam, I'm so sorry." Tara replies. Sam lets out a breath.

"What's she saying?" Dean snaps from the driver's seat. Only getting one side of the conversation is starting to piss him off.

"It wasn't anything supernatural. No one has spoken to Buffy or Dawn." Sam says to Dean, his anger fading as he sees the grief on Dean's face.

"Hey Tara, how are _you_ doing?" Sam asks into the phone.

"I'm, um, I've been through all this before, when my mum died, and so I just, I'm trying to help the others as best I can. But honestly I, um, I don't know what to do."" She replies.

"Is anybody with you? Can I talk to Willow?" Sam asks.

"Sorry, but I'm in the laundry room right now, looking for one of Willow's shirts." Tara says.

"That's okay." He replies.

"Sam, I'm so sorry but I have to go. I can't find Willow's shirt. And we have to leave soon; we're meeting the others at the morgue."

"Okay, um Tara?"

"Yeah Sam?"

"Tell everyone that me and Dean are on our way, and that if they want to talk they can call us." Sam says.

"Okay. I'll see you guys soon?" Tara asks.

"Yeah, about three hours out. See you soon." He responds.

"Bye." Sam hangs up and sighs, holding his phone tightly.

"Is everyone okay?" Dean asks.

"No, not really." Sam answers, leaning his head against the car window.

"Yeah, didn't think so." Dean says, gritting his teeth and turning the music up louder.

* * *

An hour later Dean feels his phone buzzing in his pocket. He turns down the music and picks up his phone.

"Hello?" He asks, not recognizing the phone number, but knowing that it has a Sunnydale area code.

"Dean." An emotionless voice says on the other end.

"Dawnie?" He asks, his eyes widening and a small smile forming on his lips. "Hey kiddo."

"I'm not a kid." She snaps at him.

"Dawn." Dean says sighing and pushing harder into the steering wheel. "I know you're still pissed that we left. But –"

"No shit." Dawn says, cutting him off. "

"Dawn just listen to me. Me and Sam are on our way to Sunnydale right now." He says, hoping to cheer her up.

"Really?" Dawn asks, her voice full of hope. Dean can hear the change in her voice and it makes him breathe easy for a moment.

"Yeah." He says, smiling in spite of their situation.

"Thank god. Dean, Buffy needs you. She really thinks that mum is dead, but she's not." Dawn says rushing through her words. "I mean she can't be. She's my mum Dean." Dean can hear Dawn's voice break and the tears come rushing forward. "She's supposed to be there forever. She's not supposed to die. She isn't dead. My mum isn't dead!" Dawn says sobbing.

"Dawnie. God Dawnie. Um, please stop crying." Dean says, tears running down his face. "Please stop crying Dawnie. Buffy is there for you, she's going to take care of you now. And Giles, and Willow, Tara, Xander, maybe Anya but she might 'trade you in for more money' as Xander put it." Dean says remembering a weird board game that Xander talked to him about a couple months back. It makes Dawn chuckle through her sobs. "Hey, Dawnie me and Sam, we are only two hours away from you. And as soon as we get there I'm gonna give you a hug, and Sammy is gonna give you a hug, possibly crush your ribs into dust while he's doing it, but we'll be there for you. We are _all_ going to take care of you Dawnie. You are not alone." He says, and he hears Dawn sniffle into the receiver.

"You promise?" She asks in a quiet, broken voice.

"I promise, and remember, Dawnie, Winchesters never break their promises." He says, tucking the phone between his shoulder and his cheek as he wipes his eyes with one hand, the other still on the steering wheel.

"Okay, thanks Dean." She replies, in the same small voice. "I've got to go now."

"Okay Dawnie, just remember what we talked about. I'll see you real soon."

"Bye." She says, hanging up. Dean closes his phone and breathes out a long sigh, rubbing his forehead.

"Is she alright?" Sam asks.

"No, I don't think so."

* * *

Several minutes later Sam's phone rings and Dean hurries to turn down the stereo.

"Hello?" Sam says into his phone.

"Hey, Sam. It's Xander."

"Xander, how you doing buddie?" Sam asks.

"Um, well. I punched a wall."

"Ouch. Are you okay now?"

"Uh, yeah. Anya, the expert bandage wrapper, fixed me up."

"That's good. How's Buffy, have you seen her?"

"Yeah, she's really quiet. Like really quiet. How far away are you guys?"

"Only about two hours, maybe less." Sam replies, rubbing his forehead and looking at Dean, who suddenly starts speeding more over the limit than he already was.

"Good. Buffy needs Dean. She hasn't even cried man. We are all really worried about her." Xander says.

"Dude, can you give me the phone, or put the damn thing on speaker phone." Dean snaps.

"Yeah, sure." Sam says to Dean, clicking the speakerphone button. "Xander, you're on speaker phone."

"Hey Dean." Xander says.

"Hi Xand, how's everyone holding up?" Dean asks.

"About as bad as you could imagine right about now. How about you man, you loved her as much as me and Willow?"

"Dude, I can't even begin to comprehend how I feel right now. It's all like, completely numb and, and all I can think of is Buffy. She must be, god, is she alright?" Dean says, his face full of pain.

"Dean, she's. I don't know. She hasn't really said anything, or even cried man." Xander replies.

"Xander, is that Dean?" A voice asks from Xander's side of the phone. "Can I talk to him?" Sam and Dean listen as the phone changes hands.

"Dean?" A familiar voice says from the phone.

"Willow, how are you?" Dean asks.

"Dean, I've missed you so much." She cries into the receiver. "Is Sammy there?"

"Yep, I'm here." Sam replies, a small smile on his face.

"Oh, Sammy." Willow says. "I, um, we are trying to find some food for Buffy and Dawn, but Buffy doesn't want to eat anything and we don't know what to get. What should we do?" Willow pauses and they can hear her sniffle. "God, I've missed you guys so much. Oh, now I'm crying again. Sorry." She says hurriedly, before Sam or Dean could say anything.

"No, don't be sorry." Dean says. "Willow, with the food thing, just grab what you can, and make sure that everyone eats something." Dean answers her question.

"Okay, thanks Dean." She replies.

"And Willow, if you need to talk please call one of us and we'll help." Sam says softly.

"Thanks Sam."

"Willow, one more thing. Can you, or someone else talk to Dawn? I think she might be more upset than you realize. She called us and was crying on the phone and I didn't really know what to do. Could you please give her a hug from me or something?" Dean says, his voice breaking.

"Of course I will. Um, I have to go now. We have to get back to Buffy."

"We are only about two hours away." Sam says.

"Bye guys." Willow replies.

"Bye." Dean says.

"See you soon." Sam replies, and then he ends the call and rests his phone on his leg.

"I hope someone talks to Dawn." Dean says, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel in frustration.

"Yeah, she didn't sound too good." Sam agrees, nodding his head.

"I hope they are all alright." Dean says, sighing and turning the music up once again, settling into the rest of the drive to Sunnydale.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: Anything recognisable belongs to Joss Whedon and Eric Kripke the wonderful creators of BTVS and SPN respectively.**

The Impala finally pulls into the street that the Summers live on. Dean turns off the engine at the curb, outside of the house, and sits in his seat for a moment.

"You alright man?" Sam asks from the passenger's side.

"Yeah, it's just. This really sucks." Dean replies, rubbing his forehead and looking at the house longingly. The window's shine with the late afternoon sun reflecting off the well polished glass; obviously the handy work of Joyce. He turns from the window and looks forward.

"Yeah." Sam says simply, pressing his lips together and swallowing thickly. Dean opens his door and gets out of the car. Suddenly the front door of the house is ripped open and Dean half smiles as Dawn runs across the front yard.

"Dean!" She yells, throwing her arms around his torso and hugging him forcefully. Dean responds by enfolding her in his arms. He holds her tightly and a tear runs down his cheek. Dawn pulls back from him sniffling, her eyes puffy and red.

"Little Dawnie, not so little anymore. I swear you have grown a couple inches since I last saw you." Dean says affectionately, as he ruffles her hair.

"Hey." She says, pushing his arm away and fixing her hair. Dawn rubs her nose and looks up at him. "Thank you for coming."

"No problem kiddo." Dean responds.

"Don't call me kiddo." She says shoving him in the stomach and giggling.

"He still calls me that and I'm eight-teen, so I don't think he'll stop any time soon." Sam says, walking around to their side of the car, smiling down at Dawn.

"Sammy." Dawn says hugging him just as ferociously as she did Dean. Dean looks at his little brother hugging Dawn and a ghost of a smile appears on his face. She has always been like a sister to him and it breaks his heart to see her so hurt. He looks back at the house to see Anya approaching. He smiles wirily at her. She walks over to them and suddenly hugs Dean.

"Hi Dean." She says into his chest.

"Hey, Anya. How are you doing?" Dean says hugging the former vengeance demon.

"I'm in pain, but have no physical injuries. I don't like this feeling." She responds. "Dean?" Anya pulls away and he can see that she also has puff red eyes and it catches him off guard.

"Yeah Anya?" Dean asks tentatively.

"Why do nice, good people have to die?" She asks. The pure innocence in her eyes hurts as though someone has just punched Dean in the gut and he just looks down at her in grief.

"I don't know." He replies honestly.

"It's not fair." She says grabbing him in a hug again. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"I, We have to help Buffy and Dawn. We have to help each other get through this." Dean replies hugging her. He looks over Anya's shoulder and sees the petit, blond woman who he has driven all this way to see. Anya releases Dean and steps back from him.

"You need to see Buffy. She needs you." Anya whispers, but she notices Dean's face and turns to see Buffy standing in the doorway to the house. "Go." Anya whispers. Dean takes a step forwards, and then moves more hurriedly towards Buffy as though he is magnetically pulled to her. In return Buffy treads down the few steps to the green grass of the lawn. She is hugging herself with her arms, her tight bun has unraveled somewhat and her eyes looks as though she can't even see him, but he is the only thing she _can_ see.

"Dean." She whispers, he rushes to her and she throws her arms around his neck, burrowing her face into his shoulder as he wraps his arms around her, crushing her to him. Dean holds her with both his arms wrapped round her torso, and he feels her exhale into him. He closes his eyes as the pain and grief she is feeling pulls at his chest and catches at his throat.

"I'm so sorry." He whispers, and he can feel her tiny body start to rake with sobs. "I'm sorry." He repeats the words over again as she breaks down in his arms. She pulls back from him just enough so that she can look up at his green eyes.

"I can't breathe, everything hurts. And I can't, I can't feel anything." She whispers, just loud enough for him to hear. Tears runs down Dean's face at her words and he pulls her tight into his embrace again, one hand on the back of her head. "The steps?" Buffy asks quietly, pulling back from Dean. He nods and they walk over to the steps leading to the front porch.

Sam, Dawn and Anya have already left the front yard leaving Buffy and Dean with some privacy. Buffy sits down heavily on the second step, pulling her knees to her chest and looking with unseeing eyes at the house on the other side of the street. Dean rests his back against a column at the top of the three steps, looking across the yard at his car. They stay like that for a while, just content with being near one another and sharing their grief in the simplest way.

"Have you eaten anything?" Dean asks, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Uh, no. I don't think so." She replies. "I don't really feeling like eating anything."

"You really should." Dean says, not offering to get her anything, knowing that people have been doing that all day and she probably doesn't want him to do that.

"Do you want to sit?" She asks, turning around so that she can see him. He didn't want to crowd her too much by sitting next to her straight away, and she didn't want him to see how broken she truly is. But that all falls away when she asks him softly. Dean responds by sitting down next to her on the step and placing an arm round her shoulders. Buffy leans into his side and rests her head on his shoulder.

"I miss her so much and she's only been gone for less than a day." Buffy says, bursting into tears again. Turning her head she leans her forehead into Dean's chest and brings her hands around his neck again. He wraps his arms around her and feels his own tears start to spill once more.

They stay like that for an hour, sharing their grief and trying to sticky tape each other's world back together, that had crumbled around their feet like badly made pie. Buffy with her head leaning against Dean's shoulder and his arm snaked around her shoulders. She fits against his side like the missing puzzle piece that she is to him. He has his head resting on the top of her head and his other arm is on his knee, holding her hand tightly in his larger one. They watch the setting sun light up the sky with an array of colours; red, pink, orange, purple, blue, even a tinge of green close to the colour of Dean's eyes. The pair watches in silence, as the sky turns slowly dark; neither wanting to face the cold harsh world that exists beyond their embrace. But they must. For them to be able to breathe, talk, walk, and do what has to be done both must hold themselves together for their friends and family.

"We should go inside." Buffy whispers, not taking her eyes off the not quite dark blue sky.

"Yeah we should." He replies, kissing the side of her head. They both pull away at the same time. Dean stands and holds his hand out for Buffy, who smiles weakly up at him and takes his offered hand. They walk up the steps and approach the front door.

"Are you ready?" He asks.

"No." Buffy says, looking up at him with sad eyes.

"I'd be surprised I you were." Dean says, squeezing her hand and giving her a small, friendly, smirk. Buffy reaches out her hand to the door nob, mentally preparing herself to be around other people.


End file.
